Improvement in steam-pumps



UNITED STATES PATENT EEIcE;

JAMES W. MATHIESON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEAM-PUM PS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 173,031, dated February1, 1876; application filed July 6,1875.

This invention is intended to be used eitherv for water, or as anairpump or compressor, vacuum-pump, or blowing-engine.

In the drawing, Figure l is a vertical scction. Fig. 2 is a plan of thepumping-engine,

and Fig. 3 is a section of the governor.

The bed-plate a, steam-cylinder b, pumpcylinder c, single pistonrod d,crank c, and

4fly-wheel c4 areas usual in steam-pumps, and

the pitman or connecting-rod e1 is attached at one side of thecross-head and adjacent to the piston-rod, and said pitman and its cranke swing clear of Athe piston-rod, so as to limit the movement of thepistons by the crank, and the piston-rod extends from the steam to thewater piston through the cross-head, and is secured thereto by a screwor key. rlhe pump-cylinder c is horizontal, and the piston freciprocates therein.

The induction-valves g are upon the inner surfaces of thecylinder-heads, near the bottom, and the outer sides of the heads areprovided with `movable caps hl, that form ports connecting with thehollow bed-plate or chamber at h2, to which the suction-pipe h3 isconnected when the engine is used for pumping, or through which pipe h3water to lubricate the cylinder is supplied as required, the water beingdrawn into the cylinder, and serving to lessen friction andto lill thepassage-ways and spaces at the termination of each stroke, and therebyinsure greater efficiency of the pump in its action upon air.

The eduction-valves h are atthe top of the cylinder c, and open into thecompressioncham ber t'.

Both the induction and eduction valves are formed of sheets of rubber,secured to the seats by bolts which pass through curved gua rds k, andthrough holes in the rubber, and the valve-openings are numerous, orprovided with bridges to prevent the rubber being drawn into theopenings.

The elevation, Fig. 4, represents the inner surface of a vportion of oneof the cylinderheads. v

The curved guards k limit the distance that the sheet-rubber valves movein opening, and the sheet-rubber valves press closely against theseguards k when open. The action of each guard is thus to compress thevalve upon the side next to the guard, and to stretch the other side,which action assists the valve to spring back quickly to its seat whenliberated, and the guards are perforated to allow the air to reach theback of the valve and facilitate the movement as the valve seatsitself.

I am aware that valves of india-rubber between a seat and a back plateor guard, that limits the movement of such valve, havebeen used.

My improvement is especially available as an air-pump, because theinduction-valves, being upon the inner surface of the head, closerapidly by the action of the water that is admitted with the air intothe air-pump; hence the air will be expelled upwardly above the water asthe piston moves toward the head and causes the water to rise, and theair, es-

caping through the eduction-valves at the top of the cylinder, isfollowed by any surplus water, and the eduction-valves, closing in suchWater, are rendered perfectly tight thereby, and a much better vacuum iso btained upon the return stroke of the piston than in the pumpsheretofore constructed.

It will be apparent that the guard-plates prevent too great movement ofthe valves, that the valves close rapidly and tightly upon the metalsurfaces around the water-ways, and that the exit-valves close instantlyby gravity, as they are in a vhorizontal position, and the water abovethem insures their being tight. I claim as my invention- Theinduction-valves g upon the inner surfaces ot' the cylinder-heads, nearthe lower portions thereof, covering the inlet-openings and formed ofindia-rubber, and protected by the perforated guards h -at the backs ofsuch valves?, in combination with eduction-valves similarly constructed,and applied at the exitopenings above the cylinder, in the manner andfor the purposes set forth.

Signed by me this 2d day of July, A. D.

JAMES W. MATHIESON.

Witnesses:

GEO. T. PINGKNEY, v CRAs H. SMITH.

